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Edition 6 (1969) Winner
Bruno Snell
ブルーノ・スネル
Bruno Snell
Profile
- Gender
- Male
- Born
- 1896-06-18 （Hildesheim, German Empire）
- Died
- 1986-10-31 （Hamburg, West Germany） age 90
- Nationality
- German
- Languages
- German, English
- Residence History
- Hildesheim (birthplace) → Göttingen (studies, Ph.D.) → Hamburg (professorship)
Career
- Occupations
- Classical philologist, University professor, Scholar
- Active Years
- 1922-1977
- Affiliations
- University of Hamburg
- Memberships
- Göttingen Academy of Sciences, Munich Academy of Sciences, Vienna Academy of Sciences, Copenhagen Academy of Sciences, German Academy for Language and Literature, PEN International
- Influenced By
- Hermann Fränkel
- Influenced
- Joachim Latacz (student)
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Edinburgh | — | — | — | — | United Kingdom |
| University of Oxford | — | — | — | — | United Kingdom |
| University of Göttingen | — | Classical philology | Ph.D. | — | Germany |
University of Edinburgh
Country:
United Kingdom
Studied law and economics before switching to classical studies
University of Oxford
Country:
United Kingdom
Attended after studies at Edinburgh; developed interest in classical studies
University of Göttingen
Classical philology
Degree:
Ph.D.
Year of Graduation:
1922
Country:
Germany
Earned Ph.D. in 1922
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | Hegel Prize | — | — | City of Stuttgart | 受賞 |
| 1976 | Austrian Medal for Science and Art | — | — | Republic of Austria | 受賞 |
| 1977 | Pour le Mérite for Arts and Sciences | — | — | Pour le Mérite | 受賞 |
Hegel Prize
1970
Organization:
City of Stuttgart
Result:
受賞
Austrian Medal for Science and Art
1976
Organization:
Republic of Austria
Result:
受賞
Pour le Mérite for Arts and Sciences
1977
Organization:
Pour le Mérite
Result:
受賞
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
The Discovery of the Mind: The Greek Origins of European Thought
1946 Non-fiction (classical studies / intellectual history)Traces the development of Greek literature from Homer through Aristophanes and Plato, arguing that these works show a gradual discovery of an inner mental life. Snell contends that Greek culture developed a unique interior world of thought for individuals.
Greek literatureOrigin of consciousnessIndividual interiority
Translations
- English translation (T. G. Rosenmeyer, 1953)
Bibliography
- Die Entdeckung des Geistes (The Discovery of the Mind), 1946
Translations of Works
- The Discovery of the Mind (English translation by T. G. Rosenmeyer, 1953)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- Scholarly, analytical proseArgumentative with historical-comparative approach
- Recurring Motifs
- Concepts of self in ancient Greek textsFormation of consciousness and interiority
Legacy
Made significant contributions to classical philology and intellectual history; his book The Discovery of the Mind is a landmark study on the emergence of interiority in Greek literature. He helped build institutional infrastructure—founding a TLG research centre in Hamburg and serving as inaugural president of the Mommsen Society—supporting younger scholars.
Academic Societies
- Göttingen Academy of Sciences
- Munich Academy of Sciences
- Vienna Academy of Sciences
- Copenhagen Academy of Sciences
- German Academy for Language and Literature
- PEN International
Archives
- German National Library (records related to Bruno Snell)
- University of Hamburg archives (research materials)
Trivia
- Established a Thesaurus Linguae Graecae research centre in Hamburg in 1944.
- Served as inaugural president of the Mommsen Society from 1950 to 1954.
- The Mommsen Society has awarded the Bruno Snell Prize to young classical scholars since 1989.